Zesty Chickpea Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Zesty Chickpea Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Alternate post title: The 6423562nd time this year that Angela has stuffed vegetables with vegetables.

Well ok, maybe that’s a wee bit of an exaggeration. I think it’s actually only the third, but I’m only counting the recipes that have been featured here on the blog. This week’s creation was inspired by a reader’s request that I received via email. This reader asked for a main dish created around spaghetti squash….

… that contains a plant-based protein source…

…. that incorporates lots of veggies but isn’t a salad…

… that is satisfying and hearty, but isn’t super calorie dense….

… and finally, is vegan-friendly, gluten-free, easy to make and full of flavour.

It may sound like a tall order, but with a bit of thought and a few really basic ingredients, I think I’ve come up with something delicious to fit the description!

May I present you with Zesty Chickpea Stuffed Spaghetti Squash. If you’ve been on Pinterest lately in search of spaghetti squash recipes, you’ll probably find that many of them are a whole lot more about cheese than they are squash. But for the sans-fromage peeps in the house, don’t you worry because there’s no need for it here! Instead, I’ve sauced up this zucchini-chickpea-tomato mixture with a few spices and salsa. Yes, a store bought one. Simplicity is a great thing, right? Right.

Now, you can leave these babies nekkid if you like and I promise they’ll be fabulous. BUT… if you want to get fancy (and by fancy I mean make the meal look fancy but actually put in super minimal effort), you can whip up a super quick avocado cilantro sauce in your blender while the squash is roasting away in the oven.

With the quantities in the recipe below you’ll have heaps of this stuff leftover, and that’s not a bad thing because it also makes a great sauce for wraps and sandwiches, a salad dressing, chip dip, veggie dip… this is versatility at its finest here, folks. 😉

Zesty Chickpea Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

by Angela Simpson

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients (2 servings)

1 small/medium spaghetti squash, halved

olive oil, in a mister

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp each ground cumin and coriander

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 cup sliced zucchini

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup salsa

For the sauce (you will have lots leftover:

1 avocado, pitted and peeled

1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro

juice of 2 limes

1 tsp lime zest

water, to thin as needed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

With a sharp knife, halve a spaghetti squash and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Set the squash skin side-down on the baking sheet and mist it with olive oil. Roast for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, mist a frying pan with a little olive oil and stir fry the garlic, cumin, coriander, and red onion over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add the zucchini, cooked chickpeas and cherry tomatoes to the pan, along with the salsa. Stir occasionally and cook long enough for the whole mixture to be hot throughout – about 6-8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.

In a blender combine all ingredients for the sauce. You will have lots left over, so transfer it to a jar with a lid once smooth.

After the squash has roasted for 40 minutes, take it out of the oven and check the firmness. Larger squashes may need another 10 minutes, but you should be able to pierce the flesh fairly easily with a fork. Scoop the chickpea mixture into the hollow areas, aiming to cram as much in as possible.

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My name is Angela and I've got a fiery passion for turning fresh, healthy ingredients into delicious mouth-watering meals. I love watermelon, green smoothies, and running around Vancouver, the city I'm proud to call home.